रोहते सायकैर् विद्धं छिन्नं रोहति चासिना ।
वचो दुरुक्तं बीभत्सं न प्ररोहति वाक्-क्षतम् ॥ १११ ॥
rohate sāyakair viddhaṃ chinnaṃ rohati cāsinā |
vaco duruktaṃ bībhatsaṃ na prarohati vāk-kṣatam || 111 ||
Wounds caused by arrows can heal. Cuts made by sharp swords can heal. But wounds caused by harsh words never ever heal.
अदेश-कालज्ञम् अनायति-क्षमं यद् अप्रियं लाघव-कारि चात्मनः ।
यो ऽत्राब्रवीत् कारण-वर्जितं वचो न तद् वचः स्याद् विषम् एव तद् भवेत् ॥ ११२ ॥
adeśa-kālajñam anāyati-kṣamaṃ yad apriyaṃ lāghava-kāri cātmanaḥ |
yo ‘trābravīt kāraṇa-varjitaṃ vaco na tad vacaḥ syād viṣam eva tad bhavet || 112 ||
Words spoken at the wrong place and at the wrong time, without discretion, leading to bad consequences, that demonstrate one’s own low thinking, and spoken without any specific reason, are not mere words, they are poison.
Written thousands of years ago, these padas resonate even today. For times have changed, but human nature has not. Words can be seen as mere modifications of breath, but their impact far exceeds their harmless origins. Think before you speak is an understatement:)
By the way, those lines are from the तृतीयं तन्त्रं (the third tantra) of the पञ्चतन्त्रं (Panchatantram) and called काकोलुकीयं. Did you ever think that the Panchatantram had such deep thoughts? Read the whole series (links in the menu) and you will be pleasantly surprised!
See you tomorrow…